This application is related to and claims priority from Japanese patent application No. 2001-067965, incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sealing structure between a door opening portion around a door opening in a vehicle body, and a door for closing and opening the door opening.
2. Description of Related Art
As shown in FIG. 1, a weather strip 10 is attached along a door opening portion 12 of a vehicle body. When a vehicle door D is closed, the weather strip 10 seals between a periphery of the vehicle door D and the door opening portion 12 of the vehicle body.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional sealing structure in the door opening portion 12 along a roof-side of a vehicle body, which is taken along the line of Yxe2x80x94Y of FIG. 1. The door opening portion 12 is composed of an inner body panel 16 and an outer body panel 18. End edge of the inner body panel 16 and the outer body panel 18 are joined to each other to form a flange 14. The flange 14 projects into a door opening from the door opening portion 12 at approximately right angles thereto. The weather strip 10 includes a base portion 20 having a U-shaped cross-section, and a tubular seal portion 22 which forms on one of side walls of the base portion 20. The weather strip 10 thus arranged is attached along the door opening portion 12 such that the base portion 20 is fitted on the flange 14 with the seal portion 22 located outside the flange 14, and lips 24 which inwardly project from facing side walls of the base portion 20 hold the flange 14. When the vehicle door D is closed, an inside surface of a periphery of the vehicle door D pushes the seal portion 22 of the weather strip 10.
Flanges are also formed in body pillar parts and a rocker part which extend around a door opening, so as to be continuous with the flange 14 along the roof-side part of the vehicle body. These flanges are formed by joining end edges of an inner body panel and an outer body panel of the body pillar parts and the rocker part to each other, similarly to the flange 14. The weather strip 10 is continuously attached to these flanges.
The conventional sealing structure thus arranged, however, has the following problem. Namely, the flange projects from the door opening portion into the door opening, and the opening area of the door opening decreases by the area corresponding to at least the height of the flange.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sealing structure in a door opening portion of a vehicle body, which is capable of increasing an opening area of a door opening, and ensuring sufficient sealing properties.
The sealing structure of the present invention includes a door opening portion formed around a door opening in a vehicle body, and a weather strip having a base portion which is secured to the door opening portion, and a tubular seal portion which is pushed by a vehicle door when the door opening is closed.
The door opening portion is composed of an outer body panel and an inner body panel. An end edge of the outer body panel is placed on and joined to an end edge of the inner body panel such that the outer body panel is located on the side of the door opening, thereby forming a flat joint. A concave surface is formed in the outer body panel from the outside of the flat joint thereof to a side surface of a vehicle body.
The base portion of the weather strip has a configuration which is in conformity with the outer body panel from the flat joint to the concave surface thereof, and is secured to the outer body panel. The tubular seal portion of the weather strip has a configuration which forms on the base portion and fills a space defined by the concave surface.
In a preferred embodiment, the concave surface formed in the outer body panel is composed of a first surface which bends from the outside of the flat joint into an L-shaped configuration and extends outwardly of the door opening portion, and a second surface which bends from the first surface into an L-shaped configuration and extends towards the side surface of the vehicle body. The base portion of the weather strip has an L-shaped cross-section in conformity with the flat joint and the first surface of the concave surface, and the tubular seal portion of the weather strip has an arc-shaped seal wall forming on a part of the base portion, which faces the first surface of the concave surface of the outer body panel.
With the sealing structure in accordance with the present invention, the door opening portion is not provided with any flange, and is formed flat. And the base portion of the weather strip is secured along the flat door opening portion. Consequently, the opening area of the door opening can be enlarged, as compared to the conventional sealing structure.
Other objects, features, and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification.